Bedsores are lesions on the body that can be caused by factors including friction and shearing forces, however the most common cause of bedsores is unrelieved pressure. In most cases, this unrelieved pressure occurs when a patient remains in a stationary position for a period of time, for example, on an operating room table during a surgical procedure, and pressure from the weight of the body compresses tissue. Similarly, patients who are unable to move their legs and sit in a wheelchair for a prolonged period of time experience a continuous tissue compression under their ischial tuberosity. This compression of tissue over time leads to decrease of vascular flow, hypoxia, and/or ischemia and eventually to tissue necrosis (tissue death) if left untreated. This injury starts at the point of highest compression between tissue and bone, working its way to the skin surface and the appearance of a bedsore.
Low-air-loss patient support systems have been successful in reducing the occurrence of bedsores. However, these support systems continually leak air and therefore, unless air is added to the system, the air pressure within the low-air-loss patient support system continually decreases as the system deflates. Static readjusting low-air-loss patient support systems and/or low-air-loss patient support systems must continually be monitored so that the when the air pressure within the system has dropped below a desired set point air pressure, a pressure-raising means can be activated to increase the air pressure within the low-air-loss patient support system. Thus the pressure-raising means, typically a fluid pump, is cycled on and off, which changes the relative position of the patient with respect to the surface as the air pressure within the low-air-loss patient support system is continually changing. A pressure measuring device and pressure raising means, such as the fluid pump, must be carried with the low-air-loss patient support system to readjust the support system to the desired set point air pressure, thereby adding a cumbersome object and undue weight to, for example, a wheelchair.
Additionally, the pressure raising means is typically powered by a battery. In the event of battery depletion or failure, patients risk pressure support failure should the battery deplete or fail while the patient is on the mobile device.
Additionally, conventional wheelchair pressure relief devices either require the patient to load a control unit from a support bed or purchase an additional unit to calibrate the wheelchair support system. In view of the preceding, there is a need for a patient support system for a wheelchair for the reduction or prevention of bedsores.